[IC] Castle Grimm [A Fantasy Drama]

[IceHeart]

Welcome to Castle Grimm

Day 1

It was a tiring journey for both foreign groups as they trudged up the narrow and treacherous path on their respective sides of the Dragon Fang Mountains. Aside from the occasional trader that dared the path it was obvious that few used these once forgotten roads. The rare animal would poke its head out to watch these strangers march along to a section of the world forgotten by the world for many years. The mountains were rugged and unforgiving as they kept climbing up and up, seeming to the top of the world.

For both groups the first sight was roughly the same, a large stone gate and coarse looking walls blocked their paths. Gargoyles and archers stared down at the respective groups. The gates would remain shut until their identities could be confirmed by the guardsmen who occupied little guardhouses on the outside of the gates.

On the West side the guardians of Grimm would see those hailing from the White Rock Confederacy, a collection of states that had alliances with each other. The members that made up their group were quite varied with many different occupations represented, though a good many appeared to the the rough and tumble type one would not want to meet if they were in a bad mood. Of a smaller portion were merchants and those of repute who owned a decent amount of wealth and land who came no doubt for lucrative negociations.

On the East side were those from the Onyx Empire, a strong kingdom with vassal states underneath. Unlike the Confederacy, which seemed to have quite a few mercenary types, the empire had quite a few strong looking soldiers and knights in their party. Their strong looking armor and weapons showed off how the Onyx Empire had invested quite a bit in their military. Along with the soldiers were those who were nobles in rich finery and a few skilled artisans of metal and engineering who were no doubt eager to see what wonders could possibly lay inside.

Neither side really had any idea what lay beyond that initial gate that seemed to glare down at them. The outside guardsmen walked up to the respective parties and demanded the letter of invitation from Castle Grimm be handed over for inspection before allowing them in. The designated group leaders quickly located the letter and handed it over to the guardsmen who inspected it thoroughly while the rest waited and watched.

[Aces Away]

Kehah stared up at the large gates as the representative gave the guards their invitation. It was a long walk, and the wary animal here and there didn't exactly lift her spirits, even if a few had come up to her when she offered them some of her rations. She'd heard the people around her scoff at the waste of food, but she knew what it was to starve and knew she could somehow survive off less food than most. Kehah was unsure if it was how she'd trained her body, or if it had something to do with her short time with the Elves and the starvation that led up to it, but she always seemed to be able to last longer on less than what others took.

Now that they were at the gates, no animals appeared. There was little noise but plenty of tension, and the men who'd laughed at her for feeding the animals now shifted behind her; apparently her cold exterior did nothing to sway them from believing she could provide safety.

'Morons.' She thought, sidestepping the men and moving to a spot closer to the back with the merchants, one of whom she'd done a mission for a few years ago and knew she could trust. She still didn't leave her back to him, of course, but her stance relaxed compared to how she'd been around the soldiers. She always felt a little more at home around people who started out as farmers and small-stall businesses.

Her gaze returned once more to the looming gate, and her eyes went cold as she slipped into mission-mode. 'This is it, Zavach. I won't let them win.'

[Emu]

" Ah, finally! Didn't I say we would make it, fellas?" Craggard hollered thunderously as he pushed and shoved his way to the front of the gate. Leaning against it, he waited half a second for a response from his party.

" I did. And here we are," he said smugly, despite the fact he had been complaining the entire journey. His fellow Onxyites declined to respond to him, and the suffocating silence of the two factions settled once again. A flicker of annoyance passed on his face as he shrugged. He looked around him for something nice to look at, to no avail.

The least the journey could have provided was some nice scenery, but his surroundings, the gate included, had the aesthetic quality of his grandmother's rotting corpse. The journey had been especially tiring, and Craggard still refused to admit he had trouble keeping up with his fellow Onyx, considering they were mostly seasoned soldiers. And now, he was exhausted, irritated, and starving. The thrill of the journey's end quickly soured as these thoughts settled in. Now that he thought about it, the people here had some nerve making them wait outside, among commoners no less. Was Craggard not a guest? Shouldn't he have recieved a sum of diamonds and grub by now? A rare moment of reason graced Craggard's mind.

Ah, but this isn't a party, and you're no guest. It's a negotiation among respected civilians for a say in which two broads gets to be head honcho. Or something. Craggard slumped a bit where he stood. That didn't sound like much fun.

[Vashonn]

Geoffrey Delshire

The anticipation finally peaked. The entire journey up the mountain had been a rough one, and Geoffrey wasn't used to hiking such steep hills. For a moment, he turned and looked back across the horizon, where the rolling plains and occasional flickering of civilization could be seen, along with far, far off, the beginning of the endless forests that made expansion west near impossible. He thought to himself about the few short years he had been in the service, and how far he had come. To think that he would play such an integral role in his nation's future and the future of the lands on both sides of the Dragon Fang Mountains - Geoffrey quivered a bit as the thought went through his mind. He turned back to the hard road, walking amidst his comrades, the whole of them showing no actual symbol for their allegiance other than the occasional banner.

He let his mind wander as they all trudged up the mountainside, thinking to himself about the dangers to come. Supposedly, the twin daughters of Lord Grimm fight each other for the throne of the castle, and will use the two opposing war parties against each other to ensure their succession. Geoffrey breathed hard, worried about the possibility of - of course - death, but if there was something aloof going on outside of this 'simple' task. Considering how seperate the castle was from the rest of the world, he couldn't help but notice that something - the air, maybe? - seemed off about this place. Finally, after near a whole day of travel, the looming stone and metalwork of the outer wall blocked their progression. The gargoyles above, perched and fierce in appearance, peered down at them, mocking the band of ragtag soldiers and merchants, as if to say they had no true power here. The archers stood vigilant behind the wall, likewise staring the war party down, and the whole group stood still.

Outside of the gate, the main guardhouse seemed rather open and defenseless, but Geoffrey figured the archers above would make quick work of anyone who tried any tricks. He rustled around in his pack, grabbing the papers that he had been entrusted to carry, and approached the small building along with a few other higher-ranking officers. He prayed to the gods in his head one last time before presenting the documents, and stepped back from the guardhouse, allowing the more charismatic and superior soldiers to do the talking. His blood ran cold as a fierce wind swept up, and he could've sworn he heard it speak to him, warning him of what laid ahead for them all.

[Blight Bug]

There were a few thoughts running through Juliet's mind at the time. The first of many thoughts was why did her master choose to go along with this expedition. She disregarded that thought as the answer was fairly obvious, some manner of glory. The next was whether or not it was necessary to travel with as many as they did, when a smaller party would be more cost efficient, and when the current matter at hand was diplomatic. However she disregarded that thought as it was not her call.

Juliet paid more attention to the real matter at hand. Yes, this journey was into a foreign land with various dangers. The environment was had a spooky air about it. And yes, it was quite possible that this was all some matter of elaborate trap. These were not the real matters to focus on.

No, the real problem here was the amount of dirt and muck that had found its way onto clothing articles. Notably it had stained some articles of clothing that her master was wearing. As such Juliet focused her attention onto shining and cleaning up the boots of the nobleman.

After all it would be bad presentation to show up to a diplomatic affair in dirty attire, regardless of the dangerous nature of the trek.

[IceHeart]

The East and West Guardhouses both took the documents that were handed too them and did a thorough check to make sure everything was authentic. As soon as they were certain everything was in order they returned the documents and shouted up at the gate, "The White Rock Confederacy/Onyx Empire Representatives have arrived! Open the gate!"

The guards retreated back into the guardhouse and the massive doors creaked open outward, making some have to move out of the way or risk being hit. Behind the initial gate was revealed an iron bar gate that had to be wrenched up from gate control rooms on the inside. Once that gate was also out of the way a female knight in green armor on the white rock side, and a female knight in red armor on the Onyx side greeted the parties.

"Welcome representatives of the White Rock Confederacy/Onyx Empire. I will lead the way to Castle Grimm from here where you will be introduced to Lord Grimm. I will ask that all members of your party stay together on the way to the castle as there is much to discuss. We will not be held accountable for any accidents that occur should you happen to stray away." The meaning was quite clear, behave or there could be unfortunate consequences to say, a spy trying to find weaknesses in the outer walls, per say.

With the view now open, both parties were now free to gaze into the Grimm Valley, a hidden marvel nestled at the top of the mountain ranges with a much more gentle slope than the journey up thankfully. Obviously some engineering had been done to make the valley more accommodating to a population but most of it was natural and the land appeared remarkably bountiful for somewhere so high in elevation. Interestingly a portion of the valley was lit up more than should be normally possible, due to a large mirror reflecting light down into the valley.

"Please, follow me." The two knights bowed to their respective parties and turned to lead the groups down into the valley and south, toward the castle.

[Emu]

Craggard jumped back in surprise as the massive doors began to creak open, scrambling just far enoguh from them so he wasn't hit. He stared up in awe at the cold iron bars slowly being moved to make way for two female knighrs to greet the party. After a brief welcome, they turned to lead the party down the valley.

Craggard sagged a bit at this. After a long, winding trek, he was being treated to even more walking. He supposed he could stand a bit more- and the Grimm valley was a pleasing sight, beautiful even. The gentle slope was kind to his weary legs and the valley was lush and bountiful. He stopped for a moment to eyeball his surroundings. He strained his neck to see a large mirror reflecting light down into the valley, causing an odd amount of the place to be lit up.

"Say, what's with that huge hunk of glass? Sorta takes away from the ambiance, don't it?" Craggard asked the scarlet knight, eyeing the mirror curiously. He was sure there was some kind of elaborate mumbo jumbo behind it, but the purpose escaped him.

@Iceheart

[Blight Bug]

Finishing up her task of cleaning, Juliet turned her head back as she heard the sound of the gate opening. She stood up and slowly turned around. With her attention focused on the representative in red, Juliet did not pay much mind to the scenery of the area.

After the initial declaration she turned her attention to the nobleman and made sure his attire was properly cleaned. The knight asked their group to follow. Juliet performed a curtesy and gazed down as she allowed the nobleman to pass her. Once he did, Juliet proceeded to follow the group into the valley. She kept to herself and did not utter a sound other than her footsteps.

[Vashonn]

Geoffrey Delshire

After being escorted into the valley by the green knight, Geoffrey scanned the surrounding area, impressed at its eloquence despite how cut-off and sheltered it was from the rest of the world far, far below. The rolling grass fields swayed in the wind with vibrant floral patchwork spotting the sea of green, with immense, looming evergreens accentuating the serenity. To an extent, Geoffrey almost felt at home in the valley - and then the glint of glass caught his eye. As he peered up at the massive mirror, he couldn't help but feel small, even inferior - with each glimpse of the Grimm's constructions, each building of stone and metal, each ingenuity upon the otherwise natural landscape, the hair on the back of his neck would stand up, and he felt like he had to be especially cautious with what he would say or do.

He looked behind him as his comrades followed, taking note of their weariness from the long travel, and how desperately they wished to rest for a moment - the brief stop at the gate only subtly appeasing the strain on their muscles. Geoffrey himself felt a bit winded - having spent the past few months in a military office had done quite a bit of a toll on his body, and he wished that those R&R sessions he had from time to time were better spent on his physical condition instead of sleeping and chatting up the local women who would gawk at his military garb. But, no matter - he was here now, and the determination of the moment was plenty of incentive to push the young tactician forward, toward Castle Grimm.

@IceHeart

[Aces Away]

Kehah tilted her head critically at the Green Knight's obvious threat. One of her higher ranking officers lead the way in and the company started moving once more, following their Knight into the newly opened area. The merchants picked up their conversations, questioning who they might trade with once the issues were resolved. She felt a stab of pain when she realized that- since the invitation called for top representatives from each side, regardless of them saying it was for negotiations- some of these people risked not making it all out alive. All of them risked that, of course, but these merchants weren't fighters or killers like her and the soldiers.

"What do you think, Ms. Mercy?" The merchant who'd hired her once upon a time asked. She stopped herself from flinching at the man's nickname for her, and slid her eyes to the side to meet his, questioning.

"About what, Tagar?" She questioned in return, causing the older man to smile.

"Do you think we'll make good sales? Good deals and the like?" He repeated. She allowed her eyes to slide back to the castle, and the giant mirror above. She took in the feeling of her raised hairs on her arms and neck- thankfully covered by her hair and armor.

"I think," She began, tone allowing no warmth. "That if you enter with fanciful dreams of peace, you'll be one of the first to die." She finished, leveling the stricken man with a warning look before drifting back to the front of the line. It may have sounded cold, but she didn't mind the man and was even finding herself wanting him to make it out alive; the world needed people with pure optimism like his.

As she settled into step behind the Confederacy representative- a boy just a year or two her senior with light auburn hair and determined posture- she kept her senses on alert for any chance of ambush or misdeed that could lead to an early demise on White Rock's side. There was a light berth around her as the soldiers attempted to avoid her cold exterior, and she couldn't help the small huff of laughter that escaped her lips at the big army men avoiding a girl just out of adolescence and barely reaching their collar bones.

[IceHeart]

@Emu

The scarlet knight glanced up at the mirror and back at Craggard briefly with an explanation. "That giant mirror is one of the reasons we can have an abundant harvest every year. While the valley provides protection it also blocks out sunlight, so to extend sunlight hours for the crops that mirror was constructed a century ago. Needless to say it is off-limits to all but the caretakers."

Explanation finished, the knight continued to lead the group from the empire.

Entering Castle Grimm - Outer Wall

It took a bit of time but after some more walking the groups made it to Castle Grimm. First were the outer walls which were fashioned from some rather dark stone. Keeping with the motif gargoyles peered down at them as yet another set of large gates opened.

The first group to arrive were those from the empire, led by the red knight. There was quite a bit of chatter among the Onyxians and more than a few soldiers gave out a whistle or two at the massive, yet decorative, walls. As the gate opened they were free to peer into the outer courtyard which was quite large, no doubt to accommodate troops and equipment if there was ever a siege. The scarlet knight took the group in and made them gather a bit on the east side of the initial courtyard.

"Before we head further into the castle we must wait for the representatives from the White Rock Confederacy." That statement caused a bit of a uproar and a few curses among the Onyx representatives. "After all his lordship would not want to give either side an unfair advantage in the upcoming negotiations."

Despite this annoying piece of news quite a few were happy to get a little rest before proceeding. Thankfully the White Rock Confederacy was not very far behind and about 10 minutes later they too were let into the courtyard on the West side. The two sides glared daggers at each other, each thinking about how they would outdo the others in the coming negotiations. Getting a good look at so many people from the opposite side of the mountains was quite an experience for many as they noticed the differences and similarities between the two groups.

The two knights stood between the two groups and stared at each other for a few moments. Then, the green knight spoke, ""The White Rock Confederacy representatives have now arrived." There was a strange bit of tension in her voice as she spoke.

The stare-off continued a second longer then the red one replied, "Indeed, as have the Onyx Empire...10 minutes ago. Come on, you know what you need to do." The red knight smirked as the green knight clenched a fist and trembled a bit in anger.

"Confound it, fine, I guess you win this bet." With a grumble the Green Knight reached into a satchel on her waist and took out a small bag of coins and tossed them over to the Red Knight.

The Red Knight chuckled and pocketed the bag, giving an exaggerated pat where she put it. "Thanks sister, I'll be sure to put the money to good use after these negotiations are over. Good job on making it here first guys, I appreciate it." The Red Knight chuckled and turned to the representatives from the empire. Apparently the two sister knights had made a bet on which side would make it to the castle first.

"Well moving on, a messenger will walk out shortly to tell us to come inside to start the negotiations. Until then you can rest out here."

[Vashonn]

Geoffrey Delshire

Upon arriving at the castle, Geoffrey's subtle worry quickly altered to anxiety - at last, the tactician saw for himself the very people he had been planning a war against. The Onyx Empire was strongly built, and he looked at their warriors who had come to meet the people of White Rock. The actual military force of the enemy was impressive, with most of the soldiers clad is great armor and brandishing all sorts of weaponry that could easily cut through some of the men Geoffrey had behind him. He tried his best to walk stoically into the west side of the courtyard, brushing the dirt from his green and white uniform that collected during the trot here. Geoffrey wanted to look presentable to the host of this occasion, but didn't want the Onyxians to take him lightly due to his average size. He was, after all, a representative of his nation, and seeing what he was up against, had to play the part well.

A few of the soldiers on both sides grasped at the hilts of their blades, a couple of them mumbling curses upon the other, and Geoffrey let his hand rest on his sheathed sword's pommel. The realization of the true animosity these men had for each other was unsettling to him, to say the least, and he tried to draw his attention away from the scene and toward the knight who had led them here. After watching the interaction between the two knight women, Geoffrey couldn't help but scoff under his breath as he noted just how much the two nations really meant to this great castle and its residents.

The green knight announced that it would be okay to rest, and Geoffrey's shoulders fell. Despite the tension that had been building up in his stomach, the young man felt a bit relieved that he could at last rest a bit, and he settled himself against a stone wall at the furthest end of the courtyard. He looked about at the people on both sides, taking note of a few of them that seemed to stand out from the rest - a small, yet large man on the Onyx side, bedazzled in all sorts of jewelry and fine furs, patting the sweat from his brow, yet making horribly loud and obnoxious comments, boasting his pride. Geoffrey figured he must be some kind of wealthy trader or noble, here to ensure he could get a cut of the deal. Also amidst the Onyxians, and Geoffrey couldn't help but find it fascinating, was a young servant girl who was spending her time tidying up another nobleman's outfit while seeming rather small herself. She was actually quite pretty, he thought, observing her subtly while also noting the flamboyance of the nobles from the Onyx empire - not too different from the ones he had to occasionally deal with in the office.

From the White Rock Confederacy, he most notably saw a blue-haired woman amidst the other soldiers, looking... Quite terrifying, actually. Thinking back to the report he had read, Geoffrey figured the woman was named Kehah, or at least, he thought that's what her name was. He had heard a few stories about her talent with a blade, and how deadly she could be in the dark. Definitely a danger in a fight - thank the spirits she was on his side. Maybe he would try to acquaint himself with her, so long as she didn't take his head off from approaching her.

---

@IceHeart@AnaSilan Sunja@Emu@Blight Bug

[Aces Away]

Kehah had tensed even more as they entered a courtyard and came face to face with the Onyx Empire convoy, flicking a blade into her hand. Muscles coiled tight and senses on high alert, she kept her place behind the representative she'd fallen behind as they walked through the gate. She didn't have an instinct to protect, per se, but she knew that if a boy no older than 20 was chosen as a representative, he had to have skill and strength; this made him both beneficial to stay near, and- if she could help it- ensured his longevity.

The green Knight announced that they could rest and Kehah had to resist the scoff that built in her throat. Rest how? The two enemy convoys were within spitting distance of each other. However, the representative let his shoulders slump just the slightest bit, belying his weariness.

She watched him walk to a corner and stare out; he'd chosen a resting place with vantage points. Good. Her purple hair fell over her gray eyes as she tilted her head and glared across the courtyard, arms still crossed and hidden blade held tight. 'These are the people that took you, Zav,' she thought, her calculating gaze falling on a portly man in lavish clothes unfit for the journey to Grimm. 'This pathetic bunch of royals and soldiers took you from me.' if possible, her glare grew colder just as she felt eyes fall upon her.

It was the Representative, most likely sizing people up. Though she'd like to act like she didn't know why his gaze fell on her, she knew; shocking purple hair, clouded gray eyes of steel, and an intimidating presence tended to either draw people to her or scare them away. She idly wondered what her volunteer file said to gain her the look he was giving; he seemed to be deciding whether or not she'd bite his head off as his eyes fell away from her piercing ones and continuedo across the courtyard.

With the steady resolve she's known for, she walked over to him without turning her back to the enemy. Reaching his corner, she promptly hopped up and sat on an abandoned barrel, crossing her legs. The blade in her hand was balanced lightlyon her knee as she pulled one of her gloves off with her teeth, then the other. Once her hands were free, she picked the dagger up and placed the tip of the blade under a fingernail, picking at them and cutting them down to an acceptable length. She gave a tilt of the head and a small smirk towards the man.

"Representative." She offered plainly.

[Emu]

Craggard watched with amusement as the White Rock Confederates entered the victory after him and his fellow Onxyites. Even at such a petty victory, he couldn't help but feel a sense of pride. Of course the confederates lagged behind; the lazy bastards were probably too busy picking their noses to move at a good pace. The scarlet knight seemed unusually happy as well, suddenly different from the stoic, formal woman who had greeted them earlier. A glimmer of metal caught his eye as a satchel was thrown to her- ah, no wonder she was happy. She was getting money.

The nobleman ceased staring at the gate and knights to eye the confederates with a neutral expression. None caught his eye, save for a few. He stiffened as he eyed a young woman with wispy purple hair, her face cold and dark. There was no mistaking the outfit. Armed with daggers and weapons, he suspected she was some sort of warrior. He made a mental note to avoid her. A young man also caught his eye, one who seemed remarkably young to be a representative. He seemed alright- Craggard decided to to worry about him- he wasn't the stone faced killer filing her nails with a knife.

He turned his attention to his fellow Onxyites. Craggard may have seemed like a buffoon, but he wasn't a complete idiot. It would be important to befriend Onxyites who were stronger, more experienced in warfare for protection. Or, he could just grab any old peasant for a meatshield. And speaking of which, a nobleman caught his eye. A petite servant girl stood behind him, making not a sound. His ever-present grin faltered slightly. He didn't even realize he could bring along a servant- if he knew that, he would have brought one! Even still, she looked awful... frail, for lack of a better word. Her plain appearance and outfit seemed to offer so little- so why bring her?

" I wasn't aware servants could tag along on this endeavor. What business does that little missy have in a place like this?" He said suddenly to the nobleman, eyeing the girl with a curious eye. The corners of his mouth twitched, threatening to sneer at the man. Craggard quite enjoyed seeing someone else who stood out among the soldiers and noblemen, someone who was even more out of place than he seemed to be.

@Blight Bug

[Blight Bug]

Juliet was far too busy to notice the initial appearance of those uncouth, inorganized, batch of lubberworts known by the moniker of the White Rock Confederacy. Nor did she pay particular mind to the knights gamble upon which group would get there first. Juliet ignored that for a plethora of valid reasons. One of which was that the answer was far too obvious. The second was that it was of no concern to her. And lastly, it would detract from the task she was assigned to complete.

In a genuflected position, her head was down as she was wiping more dirt and mud from the nobleman's boots. In particular, Juliet was taking great care into making sure that the spurs would have that prestigious sheen. The nobleman in question was peering down at her with a stern, but not overly so, gaze. He was dressed in fairly boisterous finery, with purple stockings, gem encrusted belt which had had a bronze hilt that held a sabre with a silver guard on its left side, and he wore a pink, silken tunic with rather puffy shoulders. Underneath his right arm was a leather bound tome with had a variety of red symbols on its front and back covers. Currently the book had its latch hooked over a distinctive white button. The nobleman was tapping his index finger against the spine of the book.

After Juliet finished shining the spurs, the nobleman glanced down at her and raised his left hand and made a quick shooing gestured. Issorat, knowing her patron well from service, was quite aware that this meant that she had fulfilled her task and that he wanted her dismissed.

Juliet rose up and gave a curtsy towards the noble while keeping her eyes down. She took some steps towards the right and stood near enough to the noble so that she could be prepared for when she gave her another task to complete, but far enough as to not disturb him with this dealing with another fellow of some manner of esteem During this period Juliet allowed herself to take notice of the 'confederacy' who thought they would be negotiating with a kingdom.

For the most part they all seemed like something her lord would describe them as, a pack of lowbred barbarians trying in some vain attempt to appear civilized. But among them there were two who were at the least a different breed of barbarian. One of which was a female with blue hair. Juliet raised her left hand to cover an unsightly gasp, as she dropped open her mouth.

"What sort of cursed being could that be?" Juliet muttered to herself as her eyes wandered past the other barbarians. As she was scanning that scene, she noticed that one of them was staring at her. He certainly did not look like a civilized fellow, what with the scars and tribal markings. She kept her hand in front of her mouth, while narrowing her brow for a brief moment, as she took a few steps back and focused her attention back onto the nobleman she served as a retainer.

The nobleman merely smirked at Craggard as he tapped the spine of the book. "Her business is my business. I'm sure you can wager a guess as to why I am here. Therefore you must be able to guess why she is here." He continued tapping the book as he glanced towards the Gargoyles. He shuttered a bit,

"Tad moody for my tastes." grumbled the Nobleman as he gave a passing glance towards Craggard. "Remember this, an empire is not built in a day. Nor can it exist without a proper lower foundation." He shot a glance towards Juliet.

"Issorat."
Juliet looked down and towards her employer, "Yes my Lord?"

The nobleman held out the book towards her. "Check the logs would you? I'm going to discuss with my fellows." Juliet gave an extended and deep nod before quickly going over to secure the tome. Once she obtained the book, the nobleman clapped his hands together before heading over to discuss with the other Onyxians.

As for Juliet, she opened unlatched the tome and began to track the page which she knew had the current logs.

[IceHeart]

While the two groups were resting or chatting with each other those in Castle Grimm were not idle. The halls were getting a last minute proper dusting as various servants milled around. Soldiers glanced from their watchtowers on top of the walls into the initial courtyard, trying to gauge the guests and which side would prove to be more useful to befriend. Some figured the White Rock Confederacy would be easier to barter with since they were a gathering of states who would probably compete with each other economically to get the best deals with Castle Grimm. Others made the point that the Onyx Empire were farther along in engineering and manufacturing so goods from them would likely be cheaper overall, well things not food anyway or possibly animals.

In the castle throne room deeper inside the castle, Lord Grimm looked over at his twin daughters, who appeared eager for things to progress. The throne room was moderately extravagant but like most of the castle still had its Gothic dark charms etched into the walls and pillars. The floor was of a white marble with dark spots and what appeared to be gold. A lot of the curtains and other cloth decorations were dark purple with silver lining, in fact, aside from what appeared to be gold veins in the floor the majority of expensive looking items and decorations, such as the large chandelier, were silver with the occasional crystal. The throne room of course also had guards in ornamental plate mail, armed with halberds, and a few court officials and 'nobles' to even out the numbers.

The twins were keeping their composure but there was a certain twinkle in their eyes of anticipation. At the moment, none of the Grimm family were in their seats, no doubt waiting until the actual negotiations commenced. Lord Grimm looked down at his daughters, despite not being in company he was still wearing his helmet.

"The time will soon be upon us when you must choose your representative nation, well that is if they agree to the terms. It is quite convenient that we have been given an opportunity to settle this dispute without resorting to our own forces."

Primrosa and Esmerelda glanced at each other. At the moment the court was almost completely split on which sister should be the next heir and as neither was willing to give up the title, a mini civil war might have been what they needed to do to decide once and for all who would rule the castle next.

Primrosa spoke first, "Once I get a good luck at the groups I should be easily able to tell which side is stronger. I'll make sure to snatch their allegiance before you Essy." Primrose grinned and crossed her arms, sure that she would be able to get what she wanted.

Esmerelda responded without batting and eye, "Of course sister, but as you well know, strength alone does not win a battle." Esmerelda gave a small smile back at her sister, while seemingly good humored there was an underlying threat to her words.

"Well of course strength isn't everything, but it sure can help. After all, because I work out I don't have as much excess flab to haul around." Primrosa took a stab at her sister's somewhat large set of assets.

Esmerelda blushed slightly as she tried to cover her breasts. "But I can't say I've ever lose to you dear sister in a game of strategy, of which this will no doubt be the hardest yet."

As the two bickered, a man in a mask went up to the castle owners and bowed down on one knee with a hand over his chest. "My Lord Grimm, the representatives are currently waiting in the courtyard." Lord Grimm motioned for the man to stand up, giving them full view of his mask. It was certainly a unique mask half black and half white down the middle, with a tear mark the opposite color of the side it was on underneath the eye slits. The only bit of real color was two symmetrical purple triangles on the cheek bones.

"Very well," Lord Grimm decided to take his seat and motioned for the masked man to leave, "Go out and tell them to come in. That should give them enough time to...prepare."

"At once my Lord." The man stood up, bowed, walked backward a few steps before turning around to walk toward the first courtyard.

[Emu]

"Remember this, an empire is not built in a day. Nor can it exist without a proper lower foundation." The fellow nobleman said, giving Craggard a passing glance before turning to his servant. Craggard's small eyes narrowed as he smiled wryly at the nobleman.

" Of course," Craggard said dumbly in reply to the man. He watched the servant- Issorat, her master had called her, thumb through a thick leather tome with a strange intensity. He couldn't decide if he was annoyed by the servant or impressed with her. After all, he had managed to push and shove his way through the ranks with the same diligence, although it had certainly been done in a more charismatic, loud manner. Craggard had found that silence was his enemy- the only way to be noticed by your higher ups was to demand they notice you.

" S'been a pleasure. You seem to be a like-minded fellow, us both being civilized, educated men. We should continue this chat," he remarked quickly, before the man could dart away to discuss matters with others in the party. With any luck, Craggard would see the nobleman and his servant again- perhaps they could be of use to him in some way or another.

Left without someone to harass, Craggard exhaled sharply as he tapped his foot against the ground. He was an impatient man, and the longer he thought about the castle, the more excited he felt. He had no doubt the castle's interior put his alabaster mansion by the quarry to shame- just to walk on the elegant floors of the castle would be a great honor. And of course, the residents themselves were the stuff of legend. For a family so reclusive, they were quite famous. Craggard had heard much about Lord Grimm and his smoking ho- that is, very lovely pair of daughters, but he had never seen them in person. And only in his wildest dreams would he ever talk to them. If the fates were kind to him and his Onxyites, however, he just might.

@Iceheart @Blight Bug @Vashonn [@AnaSilanSunja]

[Blight Bug]

The nobleman did not offer a vocal response to Craggard. However he did acknowledge the dialogue by waving his left-hand at him to show him some farewell tidings. At the moment this gentleman was more concerned with dealing with his fellow gentry. From that group came a few boisterous chuckles as they seemed full of mirth about the subject at hand. Perhaps the discussion was about how they were going to achieve success. Or perhaps it was just some telling of jests.

Juliet Issorat did not pay the slightest bit of attention towards that. She smirked as she thumbed towards the correct page. The retainer raised the book and began intently examining the content. She had to restrain herself from literally slamming her nose against the pages of text.

She paced exactly ten steps forward, spinning on her heels and walking ten steps the other way. During this she methodically went through record details, calculating equations to make ensure the written work was correct. After mentally confirming the equations she began to think back on the events that unfolded and the approximate costs that would need to be noted. Juliet just needed to fetch a quill and ink to record the information.

[Vashonn]

Collaborating with @AnaSilan Sunja

Geoffrey looked over as the purple-haired woman approached his vantage point, propping herself up on the barrel beside him and began cleaning and trimming her nails with the blade, addressing him with a bit of a smirk as she did so. He thought for a brief moment before responding, unsure of how to go about communicating with her - also taking note of a couple soldiers from both sides that kept looking over with a bit of fear and intrigue.

"Lieutenant Geoffrey - and you are Ms. Lahav, I presume?" He spoke calmly, extending his right hand to her as greeting, the sleeve sliding down, showing the end of the intricately detailed print of ink on his arm.

"You presume correctly! But just call me Kehah." She grinned, giving his hand one firm shake, but keeping her grip. She twisted her arm, causing his to turn over as well, giving her a good look at his tattoos. "Interesting tribals. They're western forest in origin, correct?"

Geoffrey blinked once - he hadn't even noticed his sleeve slide down his arm until Kehah was already twisting it around, only causing the sleeve to move further, revealing more of the gray patterns that bled into actual depictions of animals, people, and flora. He quickly gathered himself, not used to people finding an interest in these more tribal traditions, especially with how quickly they were fading away.

"E-eh, yeah, from my home village - borders the forest. Woods so thick you can't even slip between the trunks if you grow up to be a big guy. This is just the picture of my heritage - I don't have my own ink yet - too young to get my story written," Geoffrey realized he was still holding the woman's hand and flushed a bit, letting go of her and rolling his sleeve back up. "Heh, sorry - not many people still find these kinds of things interesting."

Kehah's smirk returned full force as Geoffrey stammered his explanation, blush firmly on his face as he pulled his hand away. she held her hand out in front of her, examining her nails before going back to work on them with her knife. The tattoos on the lieutenant were reminding her of Maar'von. The man had helped the most in training her in blades once the mercenaries had taken her in. She tilted her head in the lieutenant's direction once more, eyes remaining on her knife.

"I had a...tutor, that grew up very far west; he may have even been in your village for all I know. He has very similar tattoos, though his life is inked onto his other arm, as well as his chest," She huffed out a laugh. "He has a long life story for a man not even 45 years of age."

Geoffrey smiled, remembering a few of the men that had left his village when he was young to go out on long journeys. A few of them he actually missed - one being his uncle who he hadn't seen in a long time. Now he couldn't help but feel a bit of longing for his home, with such large gray walls surrounding him and the tension that continued to build deep in his stomach.

"It wouldn't surprise me - the western forests are brimming with secrets and stories just waiting to be told. I knew quite a few men from my village that have left when they entered adulthood. It's a part of the tradition, I suppose - I left just barely a year ago, myself, and here I am!" He lifted his arms up, jokingly displaying the scene that they were a part of.

Geoffrey let his arms slump back down and he chuckled a bit. "Yeah, I'm sure this tattoo will be an interesting one for me, supposing I get out of here alive." He glanced back up at the woman, wondering how she felt about the castle and just what they were up against.

Kehah's sharp eyes snapped to the boy at his last statement, a resolve forming in her. "You'll make it out," She assured, eyes cold. "If anything, you'll be one of the only ones left alive after this ordeal." The knife was then tucked away in her pocket, leather gloves returned to their places on her hands. She hopped off the barrel and stared across the courtyard, eyes on the fat man and servant girl pacing the ground, nose in a book.

"He'll be easier," She began simply. "Too slow to run away, and weighed down by both ego and worldly possessions. The girl though..." a small frown joined her intense gaze, staring a the girl's methodical movements. "She may not seem like much, but those eyes are intelligent, diligent. She seems the type to both help and protect her master; for all we know, she'd be the type to jump in the way of a blade or arrow sent towards him. But, given her perceived status, going after her won't do much to their morale or organization." She huffed, crossing her arms and turning her head so that the other side didn't catch her staring too long. "Actually, most of the noble's are pointless to go after for anything besides practice targets. It's the soldiers we need to worry about..."

[Aces Away]

Geoffrey let out a small sigh before speaking. "I don't think I'm too distraught about the soldiers - granted, they all look like worthy foes, yet ever since we entered this valley, I haven't been able to shake this feeling..." He stood and turned his head toward the castle's large doors, wondering how long it would be until the messenger arrived. He looked over at Kehah, the muscles in his face beginning to tense. "I may be thinking on it a bit much, but there's something going on here. Much bigger than just war negotiations." The young tactician's icy blue eyes met the woman's gray gaze.

"I have to ask - I read your report, so I know who you are. You've proven your capability as a warrior many times over. Even put some of our superiors to shame with how you handle things on and off the field. There are even rumors, though I'm not one to gossip, about a group of mercenaries you tagged along with. So you're obviously a force to be reckoned with. But I don't think you came here to show off your skills, and none of the commanders have ever said this is an obligation. So, simply put - why are you here?"

The muscles, which had loosened during the conversation with the young Lieutenant, once again coiled in response to his line of questioning. Any emotion one would have seen in her eyes now shuttered closed. "There's no doubt that there's more than war negotiations going on, Lieutenant." Was her terse reply. She contemplated not answering his questions about her; she didn't believe they were any of his business. But his tattoos- the same exact ones that Maar'von had on his right arm- 'And don't those one's indicate lineage? They shouldn't have the same tattoos unless they're...' Her eyes slid to his auburn hair, his fave shape, and his eyes. His eyes, which were too blue to match Maar'von's deep brown, yet seemed to hold her gaze just the same. '...Family. Shit.'

"By the Spirits' Graces." She muttered to herself. Now she really had to keep him alive.

Shoulder's squared, she crossed her arms and leveled him with a steely glare. "Barring gossip, which your soldiers seems to have more of than skill," Ok, so the jab was unnecessary, but being underhanded is kind of her job. "I traveled with a group that trained me in all manner of offensive, defensive, and general tactics. They, overall. taught me how to survive. I'm sure my blade tutor taught me fighting skills you'd recognize from your tribe." Both her and Maar'von had traditions and skills born from being born at forest-lined villages. Though her village had no traditional tattoos, she has a few on her back and shoulders that Maar'von insisted she got once she was a full member of the mercenaries. He said it was a shame that a village like his own had no way of representing themselves.

"And for that last part?" She added, as though it was an afterthought. "I came to kill them," Her eyes cut to the Onyxians. "For what they represent. For what they did nigh on ten years ago. Simple as that." A cold wind pushed her hair forward, casting an ominous shadow across her face as she spoke her last words. "I'm not complicated enough to have a noble or patriotic reason. I just like to kill."

Geoffrey listened intently as Kehah's words turned cold, noting the animosity in her voice as she spoke. He glanced back toward the other White Rock soldiers, watching them sit or stand in huddled circles, occasionally looking across the field at the Onyxians, then back to their small groups. It was impressive that they contained themselves so well - most of these men had seemed so anxious to fight during the trek up the mountain, but now that they were finally here, they seemed more reserved then ever.

"Our fabled Lord Grimm sure likes to keep us waiting," Geoffrey mumbled, looking again at the large doors. He tried to see inside of a few of the windows high above, but was met by dark shadows inside.

He turned back to Kehah, watching as she peered over at the Onyxians, a definite hatred burning in her eyes. He slumped back against the wall and stared up into the sky, spotting just a few clouds dancing across the otherwise clear blue air. "So, I hate to ask this of you, but..." He put his head back down, revealing a small grin across his lips. "Being cooped up in an office for so long hasn't really helped me prepare, physically, for this task. In fact, my sword arm is a bit flimsy - not too useful if an Onyxian jumps me on my way to the well. Maybe we could spar after the first meeting inside?" Geoffrey snickered a bit, trying to lighten the mood while hoping he actually could spar her - he needed the exercise, and didn't trust himself against one of the larger Onyxian soldiers.

"Oh, I can most definitely help you with that," She answered, tone considerably lighter than before. The air seemed to shift with the changes in her attitude, as a another, softer breeze passed by and her hair settled back around her shoulders. While her inner turmoil still stirred, she gave off the appearance of relaxing; her arms uncrossed, head tilted playfully towards Geoffrey as a smirk came back to her lips. "I hope you remember the basics, at least."

Before he could reply, however, Kehah tensed up once more, head snapping over to the castle's entrance as a man appeared from it's shadows. A cold wind burst through the court yard as his mask stared out at them. She stepped just slightly in front of the Lieutenant, hand on a dagger, as she waited for the messenger to speak.